Musings and Snippets from a recently retired JP. I served for 31 years, mostly in west London. I was Chairman of my Bench for some years, and a member of the National Bench Chairmen's Forum All cases are based on real ones, but anonymised and composited. All opinions are those of one or more individuals. JPs swear to enforce the law of the land, whether or not they approve of it. Nothing on here constitutes legal advice.
Thursday, August 07, 2014
George of Arabia
I read that the unlovely George Galloway, MP for Baghdad Central, is being reported to the police for alleged remarks calling for an Israel-free zone in his constituency. The police should keep out of it: this sad old chancer should be denied publicity. Derision is the appropriate response, as I see it.
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I totally agree with your assessment of the character of this odious man. However I disagree with this being 'NFA'd' as it were. Substitute the word 'Pakistani' or 'French' or 'Irish' and there would be very little question of the boys in blue feeling his collar.
ReplyDeleteWe are getting far too relaxed about the growth of anti Jewish hatred in this country. It is usually dismissed as somehow being less important than other types of racist behaviour. It isn't.
Not so; if there is a provable offence under the Public Order Act and it involves racial elements then there is an absolute duty to investigate and prosecute where appropriate.
ReplyDeleteAgreed!!
ReplyDeleteMr Galloway has the right to say these unpleasant things despite most people disagreeing with him. So, yes, the Police should keep out of it and concentrate on more important matters.
ReplyDeleteI can't agree, on two counts.
ReplyDeleteThe more he is involved with the press the more absurd he looks and the bigger the hole he digs for himself.
If it is believed he has committed an offence he should be charged and dealt with via the court as appropriate.
As an albeit (very lowly) member of the judiciary, I feel we should not appear in any way to interfere in charging decisions, especially when we don't know all the facts. By all means, comment afterwards, when a decision not prosecute has been taken, or once the matter has gone to court, but not whilst the police and CPS are still trying to decide whether to press charges. The self-restraining ordinance is at times onerous, but it clearly makes sense in terms of public perception about the impartiality and independence of the judiciary at all levels, and the absence of pre-judgment.
ReplyDeleteKate Caveat
I'm not sure I can agree. The Israeli-free zone is clearly a step too far, but the thrust of his message is part of a wider campaign of boycotting and marginalising Israeli-linked businesses. That state is currently engaged in mass murder, based on a pretext that has been proven false, compounding its history of annexation, occupation and systematic deprivation of the most basic human needs of the Palestinian people.
ReplyDeleteWe may not like him or agree with all he says, but he's an important voice drawing attention to the monstrous crimes being carried out in that region.
I see the canard of conflating anti-Israeli with anti-semitism has unfortunately been raised above. He goes to great lengths to distinguish the two which he tackles head on near the beginning of this speech for example. The parallels he draws in comparing the Warsaw Ghetto with the Ghaza strip are nevertheless informative.
^^ Link for above, not sure if it worked.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0gEzPG82pc
Well, South London JP seems to have made his or her mind up without hearing all the evidence.
ReplyDeleteHe didn't say it on Twitter/Facebook, so why would the Police get involved?
ReplyDelete